F 153 




. B45 


P2 


j Copy 


1 



A TRIP 



NO. 2. 
INTO THE "SWATARA" REGION 



OR 



AMONG THE "BETHEL MORAVIAN' 1 SETTLEMENT 
OE BETHEL TOWNSHIP, LEBANON COUNTY, 

PENNA. 



By E. W. S. PARTHEMOUE. 



Readatthe Twenty-eighth Anniversary of the Dauphin County 
Histoi ical Sot iety, May 13th, 1897. 



HARRISBURG, PA.: 

Harrisburg Publishing Company. 

1897. 



THE MORAVIAN SETTLEMENT 

IN BETHEL TOWNSHIP, LEBANON COUNTY. 



The month of December, 1S9G, will long 
be remembered for the mildness of the 
weather. Almost every day resembled 
[ndian summer. On just such a day the 
writer on the loth of the month started 
from the city, before the gray streaks of 
the morning appeared in the eastern hori- 
zon, for Lebanon county, in the Swatara 
region, or Bethel township, to the Bethel 
Moravian Graveyard, which location gave 
the name to the township. 

On arriving at Jonestown, originally 
called Williamsburg, we were reinforced 
by Esquire Christian D. Zehring, aged Ttl 
years, and whose recollections of long ago 
are very good ami his memory quite com- 
plete. He has been a justice of the peace 
for almost fifty years — one term in East 
Hanover township, four terms in Swatara 
township, which district was originally a 
part of Bethel, and is now closing his 
tilth term as the justice of Jonestown bor- 
ough, originally a part of Bethel. 

We started for Fredericksburg, which 
lays three miles, or as the German would 
tell you. "ein stunde." to the northeast, 
near the Blue Mountain. When the town 
was founded, it was named "Stumpo," 
after the founder, Frederick Stump, and 
in later years became famous as (he birth- 
place of John Lied;, (he California mil- 
lionaire and founder of the Lick Observa- 
tory, which stands on Ml. Washington, 
the gift of his munificence. 



The first place we come to after leav- 
ing Jonestown, is the farm known from 
the earliest day as the Winger farm, and 
still in that name, upon which farm is 
erected a Dunkard meeting house and of 
which sect the Wingers are members. 
After driving a short distance farther, we 
pass another farm upon which is erected 
a barn which has stood there for more 
than a century, and the style of architec- 
ture does not betray the time in which it 
was erected, not very deep nor high in the 
square, with a very steep coned roof, 
which, when it was first erected, was cov- 
ered with a thatched or straw roof. 
When the farm was originally taken up 
and occupied it was by a German, Jacob 
Suavely, who when the Indians entered 
into this district on one of their marauding 
tours, met the fate that befell so many in 
this region at that time, but his family 
escaped (o the TulpehoeUen settlement, 
where they found protection in the neigh- 
borhood where resided Conrad Weiser, 
the Indian diplomat, and Peter Spyker. 
the jurist. Sometime after the murder of 
Mr. Suavely, when everything seemed to 
be quiet ami settled in the Bethel district, 
his wife, Mrs. Suavely, started for her 
home where her husband was murdered 
and scalped, to see if everything was 
peace and quiet, and if it were safe for 
her to return with her family. On re- 
turning to the Tulpehoeken settlement, be- 



4 



The Moravian Settlement. 



lieving that it was judicious to bring her 
family back, after proceeding about two 
miles eastward from her farm and passing 
the old Swatara Church, a building long 
since razed and the graveyard destroyed, 
two Indians rushed forward to catch her 
horse. She applied the whip vigorously 
upon the horse and for a few minutes the 
race was unto death, for the Indians fol- 
lowed In r and so close that one of them 
grasped the saddle cloth, but the horse 
being fleet of foot and urged by the 
terrible whoop of the Indians, she 
managed to make her escape. Mrs. 
Suavely afterwards married Michael 
Decker, a German, who settled npou 
the place, and they were the par- 
ents of a number of children, one of 
whom, John Adam Decker, was a soldier 
in the Revolution, a member of Capt. Ja- 

oob Moscr's o pany, Sixth Regiment of 

the Pennsylvania Line. 

After driving a short distance to the 
eastward, about one and one-half miles 
from the public road, on an elevation, the 
place was pointed out where the Swatara 
Church stood, which was built prior to 
the year 1740. one of its first pastors being 
Rev. Conrad Templeman. li is one of the 
few dead and lost churches of the Reform- 
ed and Lutheran, and the cause for this 
is that when William Jones laid out the 
town of Williamsburg, now Jonestown. 
the members of the Swatara Church in 

that region became mmunioants of the 

Jonestown churches and others at the vil- 
lage of Fredericksburg, which lay to the 
north of the lost church, where we soon 
arrive and stop with Gideon Schnatterle. 
whose age borders on three score and ten. 
1 Ie was a son of Jacob Schnatterle and like 
father, like son. was long a justice of the 
p ace for Bethel township, surveyor, ven- 



due-crier and scrivener. Jacob Schnat- 
terle in his life time settled thirty-three es- 
tates, and the conveyancing and screen- 
ing business done by the father and son 
are verified by the large number of deeds 
and legal papers in their possession. 
Henry Schnatterle, the grandfather of our 
host was the son of Henry, the son of 
George Philip Schnatterle, born in the 
year 170-1. who emigrated to America 
from Germany, landing at Philadelphia, 
October 11. 173*2. He shortly afterwards 
came to Bethel township. Lancaster, now 
Lebanon county. Province and State of 
Pennsylvania. He was the father of six 
sous and two daughters. Two of his sons 
were murdered by the Indians April 7, 
17.-. 8. 

Before we start on our tour of the Swa- 
tara region and while our friend. Mr. 
Schnatterle, who is to accompany us, pre- 
pares to do so, we take a look at the town 
of "Nassau," which name was given by 
the founder, Frederick Stump, and like 
most towns founded a century or more 
ago. nick-named "Stumpe Stettle," after 
the founder's surname, which the town 
bore until the year lS2ti. when the post 
office was established. In the year 1S43. 
almost a century after its founding, it was 
changed and the founder further honored 
by naming it after his christian name. 
Fredericksburg. It is a quiet village with 
no railroads or electric cars to annoy the 
staid descendants of the worthy German 
pioneers who settled in this region. 

We start to the westward, and on the 
farm adjoining the town, originally owned 
by John Groh, now by Joseph Gipple, we 
are pointed to the place where stood dur- 
ing the provincial wars a block house, 
which was only removed a few years ago. 
The lay of the land here is just such as 



The Moravian Settlement. 



would be traveled by parties on a maraud- 
ing excursion. Elizabeth Run leads by 
this place northwest towards the moun- 
tain, and on both sides of the stream are 
meadow lands which in early days were 
grown up with tall underbrush such as 
any one bent on mischief and harm would 
follow and at the same time have the 
stream to guide or lead them back to the 
Swatara, for the woods were composed of 
large trees and very little underbrush and 
hence the Indians could not conceal them- 
selves so readily. We proceed on our 
journey following the public road running 
parallel with the mountain, and when 
about two and one-half miles west of 
Fredericksburg, after passing some six 
or seven farms once owned by Henry 
Sehnatter'.e, Sr., our friend's great-grand- 
father, we come to the farm now owned 
by a Mrs. Hummel, on which is located a 
graveyard on the top of a hill and in a 
very neglected and sad condition, and by 
the size and height of the trees prove that 
it is more than a century and a harf old. 
Here are buried two of Henry Schnat- 
terle'a Sr.. brothers, who on the evening 
of April 7, 1758, were murdered and scalp- 
ed by the Indians, and during the same 
day ami night a woman was killed and 
scalped further down the valley, and 
Michael Sauter and William Hart and a 
widow woman taken captive. We are 
now within sight of the Swatara creek, 
but turning back from the Schnatterle 
farm a short distance we face toward the 
mountain and drive some distance to the 
northward and are soon at the place we 
wish to visit — the Bethel Moravian grave- 
yard at the "Loch" or Swatara. 

When in the month of May. 1S96, in 
company with the Scotch-Irish Congress 
of America to the battlefield of Gettys- 



burg, I stood at the place called the "High 
Water Mark" of the Rebellion, my bosom 
swelled with love and admiration for 
those brave and valiant boys in blue as 
they stood the charge of Pickett's men and 
at last restored to this laud of ours n 
united country and destroyed any further 
hope of State sovereignty. Just so on tie 
day of my visit to this historical spot on 
the Swatara, did my mind run back one 
hundred and fifty-eight years ago and saw 
through the vista of history what terrible 
devastation of property and loss of lives 
by those savage red men, whose natures 
had become inflamed by the treacherous 
Frenchmen, perpetrating deeds unequaled 
by any set of pirates and robbers, that I 
exclaimed to myself, here is the high 
water mark of the Indian warfare — butch- 
ery and robbery in the Province of Penn- 
sylvania, for cruelty marked every path 
and step of the Indian in this region. Hus- 
band and father stricken and scalped bi 
fore his wife and children, the mother and 
wife ruthlessly torn from children anil 
husband, outraged and then murdered, 
and scalped, and the helpless children 
were either murdered or carried into cap- 
tivity and forced to make long distances 
as in the instance of Regina Hartman. 
which occurred but a short distance from 
where we are, or the Barnett and Mackey 
children, who resided in Hanover. Well 
could the late I. D. Rupp, fur whom the 
Pennsylvania-German Society, if not the 
State of Pennsylvania, owe a monument 
to be erected somewhere, for what he has 
done to preserve the records and history 
of the German pioneers, in gathering his- 
torical matter more than fifty years ago, 
securing much from the lips of those who 
were upon the fields of carnage in the 
dark days of the early settlers and during 



6 



The Moravian Settlement. 



the days of the Revolution, and we re- 
peat here what he recorded when writing 
of Bethel township, Lebanon county, 
when he says: "The condition of the 
frontier settlers or inhabitants were truly 
deplorable; not only were they surprised 
by the ferocious, blood-thirsty savages, 
bul sickness rendered their unenviable 
condition still more dismal. They had 
not the means to engage forces or scouters 
to apprise them of the Indians' invasions, 
or prevent their incursions. In these cir- 
cumstances they had to appeal to a deaf 
government and to the sympathies of their 
fellow citizens for means." 

Yonder, tis true, scarcely three miles to 
the northwest, stood Fort Swatara at 
Tolihaio Gap, and a short distance south 
of the fort "Hess' Block House," where 
under orders dated January 6, 1756, the 
year the barbarous deeds were done in 
this region, Capt. Frederick Smith draft- 
ed "fifty of the best men beongiug to his 
company, who were mustered by James 
Reed, Esq., and were engaged fur a cer- 
tain time — not more than three months." 
On January lit! they were ordered to pro- 
ceed to the "Gap at Tolihaio, where 
Swatara comes through the mountain, 
and erect a fort;" but as the depredations 
were then going on all along the valleys 
bordering the "Blue Mountains," it made 
it necessary to distribute the soldiers 
around among the various farm houses 
and thus they were divided and not so 
effective. This place. Fort Swatara, was 
in ile the central point where the men 
were arranged for distribution, and eight 
men of Capt. Smith's company were to 
assist the people in the "Hole," where 
murder had Keen committed, to gather in 
the harvest anil stay over night in the 
Moravian meeting house. So it can lie 



seen with men distributed along the 
sparsely settled region from Fort Mana- 
day to Dietrick Sixs they were of very 
little effect, and destruction of property 
and life continued, the Talatinate and 
French Hugenot, whether Moravian, Lu- 
theran or Reformed met their fate. 

I might mention that our own brave sol- 
dier and useful civilian. Col. James Burd. 
was here at various times. 

We stated a moment ago that at 
this point the Swatara Gap passes through 
the mountain, and the earliest records we 
have locates a trail or Indian path leading 
from the Delaware River westward 
through the Tulpchocken settlement on 
its route to Shamokin or Fort Augusta, 
ami passes this location along the "Hole 
Mountain" or "Kleine Berg," and came 
within one-fourth of a mile of the Mora- 
vian church. This path afterwards be- 
came the King's highway, which was or- 
dered laid out January 30, 1768. Another 
Indian path led from this point along the 
south side of the mountain westward to 
Harris' Ferry, anil then northward along 
the river to Shamokin. And as Bishop 
( 'aininerhoff records in his narrative in 
the year 1748. on a visit to his Bethel 
brethren, took "this latter route after we 
reflected it is true imposed upon us addi- 
tional miles of travel, but we would have 
the river for a guide and that at the set 
tlements we could bait our horses." 
While the Indian depredations were se- 
vere all along the Kittatinny or Blue 
Mountains from the River Susquehanna 
down through the Swatara region, then 
leaving the mountain at Dietrick Six's, 
which place is located across the Lebanon 
county line in Berks county, and then, as 
path and afterwards King's highway, on 
through the Tulpehocken region. No- 



The Moravian Settlement. 



whore were the outrages so severe and the 
atrocities so great as here in the Swatara 
region or Bethel township, now Lebanon 
county. 

We have spoken of the "Hole" and 
which may, and in fact has been referred 
to by many as the gap where the creek 
passes through the mountain. This is an 
error no one should fall into, as it derives 
its name,"the hole," or"Dorloeh" from an 
entirely different circumstance. There is 
a peculiar depression in the earth's sur- 
face between two mountains extending 
from Swatara creek on the west about 
nine miles eastward, ending near Millers- 
burg in Berks county. On the north it is 
bounded' by the Kiltatinny or Blue 
Mountain, and on the south by a small 
mountain, which is not more than a ridge 
at some places and is called the Hole 
Mountain, "Der Loch Berg" or "Der 
Kleine Berg." At the western end it 
was frequently called in early days "Der 
Grosz Loch" and at the eastern end "Der 
Kleine Loch." It is now mostly known 
as Monroe Valley, having received its 
name in honor of President Monroe by 
Jonathan Seidel, who many years ago 
erected a furnace or forge and named it 
Monroe. 

You may consider me sentimental or 
enthusiastic iu this, but listen to what 
one, who is more able than I to tell his 
sentiment on an occasion when he visited 
the other end of this valley: "Where is 
the mind that can penetrate into its his- 
tory, where the pen that can portray its 
grandeur and glory? How many million 
times have the magnificent beams of the 
morning sun crowned its towering head 
with a halo of light, and how many times 
have the same beams, after showering 
their life-giving warmth and brightness" 



upon these people of the Swatara before 
it was drawn in behind the mountain. 

We are now at the "Hcruhute," God's 
Acre, and on which was err. ted a 
church. Before cut. ring this sacred en- 
closure we remain motionless and sur- 
vey the country from all points, and con- 
trast the present with what it was more 
than a century and a half ago as told us 
by tin- historian at that time. To the 
east we have the view of the fertile 
farms of Bethel township, Lebanon coun- 
ty, while still further east the rich Ger- 
man county of Berks, the home of Con- 
rad Weiser and the three Spykers— Ben- 
jamin, retor and Henry. To the south 
we have a view of the prolific and well- 
kept farms of the county of Lebanon, 
which has given to the country many 
prominent men. and when we face to (lie 
north what shall we say of the beautiful 
and noble Blue or Kittatinny Mountain 
there, to-day as silent as she was when 
she sheltered the Red Man and never un- 
bosomed the stories she could have told 
of the depredations committed in the past. 
Stretching from the Empire State of 
New York on the Delaware, down through 
the greatest of the States in the Union 
— Pennsylvania — on through the South- 
ern States, telling all who gaze upon it 
that as then, so now and during all the 
intervening time she is the band which 
binds the North ami the South as one 
people. We feel that with burning brain 
and tired eyes as if we should not wish 
to view the fourth and last point of the 
compass, the western stretch along the 
mountain, but we were then reminded 
that "westward the empire takes its 
course." so too we gaze and wander over 
the territory toward the setting sun and 
are reminded that but a short distance 



8 



The Moravian Settlement. 



beyond the Swatara is the Hanover set- 
tlement, where located our aggressive 
Scotch-Irish friends and neighbors, and 
not Ear from the mountain they erected 
long, long ago their Ebenezcr, the Mona- 
day Presbyterian Church and out from 
that race have gone through all the gen- 
erations from then until now the descend- 
ants who have and continue to occupy 
positions in life that dare be the envy of 
all our ambitions. But how different now 
compared with thru, as we call to mind 
what occurred just one hundred and for- 
ty years ago from next Monday, May IT,, 
17."T. when "wurde Johannes Spitlor. Jr., 
ohne weid von seinem Hause, an der 
Schwatara, von moerdeishen Indianern 
umbefallen und ermordert." Such is a 
story from the old Moravian church rec- 
ord of Bethel, where we are visiting and 
now about to enter the sacred enclosure, 
which was founded by the Moravian col- 
ony located here at or prior to the year 
1740. The earliest missionary of the 
United Brethren or "Hernhuter" was 
Mr. Spangenberg, and he first learned of 
his people through Conrad TVeiser, the 
interpreter for the government. The 
graveyard, like most of the early burial 
places, where the house of worship has 
disappeared, is in a very sad and neglect- 
ed condition. There is but very little 
trace left of the place where the house of 
God stood, which was a two-story log 
weather-boarded building thirty by forty 
feet; the first floor was divided into three 
rooms, the second into one. The first 
floor was where the pious minister re- 
sided., on the second floor where the re- 
ligious services were held. The house 
was removed in 1S78. 

At first we felt that wo wore not to be 
rewarded for our trip, as it was mainly 
to secure a transcript from the ancient, 



moss-covered and time-stained stones, 
and as we saw only a few laying here 
and there our disappointment became 
painful. Knowing that the custom was 
to number each grave and each stone lay 
flat upon the ground, and in size varying, 
but here about fourteen by sixteen 
inches, and of different kind and color 
of stone. After viewing and going over 
the graveyard we discovered that many 
of them bad disappeared in the ground, 
and by much effort they could be found 
and dug or pried out. After removing 
the earth and moss deposited there by 
the hand of time we secured a transcript 
of nearly all, and they deserve to lie pre- 
served in this way, as the tooth of time 
undoubtedly has destroyed some, while 
a number that we found are almost de- 
cipherable. They are as follows: 
No. 4. 
JACOB 
HANTSCH geb. 

Gemorde 

von den Wilden 

d. 26 Juny 

1750 

alt ungefer 27 

.Tabr 



No. ('.. 
.Kill GEORGE 

Mies geb 

,1. 28 Sept. 1732 

Ermondt von 

den Wilden 

d. 26 Juny 

1756 

alt 16 Ja. mot. 



No. 7. 
FREDEHICK 

WEISEK 
Geb den 1 May 



2he Moravian Settlement. 



1740 Ermordt 

yon den Wilden 

d. 20 .Tuny 

1756 

alt 16 Ja. 11 mo. 5 da. 



No. 18. 

A MM AUG RE 

DANIEL BORNS 

liillll JJC'li {]. 25 

August 1769 
Verschied 

d. 28 July 

177o alt 

11 monath. 



\... 22. 
MARGARETTAM 

Borin 

DANIELS ehefrau 

Geb in Decern. 

1732 verschied 

d. 5 July 1772 

ihrer altes 

10 J ; ,lir. 



No. 23. 

DANIEL 

DANIEL BORNS 

kind geb den 

April verselieid 

d. 18 September 

1772 ,-ilt 

L':; svoehen 



No. 2G. 

CATHARINE 

SI'ITLERIN 

is geborn 

in .l.iii 10 

August 1700 

verschied 

den 14 Mertz 

1773. 



No. 28. 
JOHN GEORGE MIES 

Geb d. 20 Nov. 1704 iu 
Bertenan verschied 
(1. 20 Nov. 1721. 



No. 29. Gebohren 

den 25 Jaoar 

1757 CATHARIXA 

BECKIN aus dem 

Zeit den 27ten 

November 

1774. 



No. 30. Gebohren 

den 17ten den January 

1763 

ELIZABETHA 

BECKIN aus den 

Zeit den 12 

Pebruah 

1775. 



No. 31. Gebohren den 

15 den December. 1731, 

MAUI BARB BECKIN 

Geborhin BORIN 

und Gerstorben 

September 17 

1775. 



No. 30. 

JULIAN MIES, geb 

i 17 Sept. 1718 in Ner- 

eberg verschied 

.1. 17 May. 17S5. 



No. 38. 

C ITHARINE MIES 

Geb .1 7ten Sept. 17:; I in 

Bethel Township 

verschied d 7 Juli 

1778 



10 



The Moravian Settlement. 



No. 41. 

HEINEICH FABBR 

geb d. 7 Dec. 1722 

\ ersehied d. 5 April 

1779. 



No. 42. 

CATHARIN SPITLER 

G< b d. 13 Juny 1743 

In Bethel Township 

versehied d. 30 Juny 

1779. 



No. 48. 

.lulIN HKIN- 

RICH 

HBCKENDORN 

Gebohren den 

5 April 1786 

verscheid 

den 22 April 

1 787. 



No. •">::. 

MARIA CHRISTENA MIES 

geb il. 31 August 1787 

in Bethel Township 

verscheid d. 11 Feb. 

1 796. 



No. 54. 
CATHARIN FABERIN 

geb d. 2;; Sept. 172'.) 

in — starb 

den 15 M.'irz L796. 



No. 60. 
JACOB FABER geb 

d. •"• I ><■<•. 1774 in 

Bethi I Townshp 

verscheid d. 1 1 F< b. 

17! 12. 



No. 61. 

JACOB SPITLER 

Geb d. 25 August 1722 

in dor Schweitz und 

verscheid d. 5 Nov. 1794. 



No. 65. 

JONAS FABER 

Geb d. 4 Matz 17S5 

in Bethel Township 

verscheid d. 27 Nov 

1797. 



No. 66. 
CATHARINA CPITLERN 

Geb d. 12 June 1788 

in Bethel Township 

verscheid d. 17 Oct- 

1797. 



No. 70. 

ANA MARGARETHA 

SriTTLELERIN 

ein geboren Winkel- 

bleeliin 

Geb 22 Dec. 1750 

vehscheid 8 Feb 

1803. 

No. 72. 

CHRISTIAN IIKCKFNDOIn 

Geb d. 21 Merz 1778 

verscheid 2.", Aug. 1800. 



No. 74 
GEORGE CASPER 

KOIIR 

Gebohren 

in Erstadt in der Pfalz 

den 7i.ii Octo. 1724 

\ erseheid 
den 28ten May 1801. 



The Moravian s, tilt merit. 



11 



MARIA OATHARINA 
IIECKENDORNIN 
Geb d. 21 Oct. 1750 

verseheid 
d. 11 April 1702. 

No. 70. 

JACOB SPITLBR 

Geb in Bethel d. 6 

Decb. 1709 

verseheid 

d. 28 May 1S02. 

No. SO. 

BBRNHARD MEIS 

Gebohren in Bethel 

d. 22ten J.imi. 1771 

verseheid 

d. ten Febu. 1803. 

No. 81. 

VERONICA XANDER c 

geb SFITTLEKIX 

geb, den 1st Nor. 1720 

in Benweil in der 

Schwertz verseheid 

d. 10th July 1801. 



No. 01. 

ELIZABETH BRONNK 

Gebohren GIESING 

Gebohren in Emere 

den Oten Dee. 1757 

verseheid 

den leten Sept. 1810. 



No. 80. 

JACOB FARER 

Geb in Bethel 

'I. 1 I ten .lime 1770 

verseheid 

■ I. 1.". Oct. 1S04. 



No. 88. 

i' \ I'll MEYERIN 

Geb FABERIN 

Geb in Bethel 

d. 24th Merz 1701 

verseheid 
d- 15th Nov. 1804, 



No. 01. 
CATHARINE BTJRCHMEYER 
< Sebohren in 
Bethel Township 

Wen 17ten 

January 1778 
verseheid 

den 21 leu April 

1816. 



No. 113. 

FRIDR RUCHMEYER 

(Jeli il 7ten Nov. 1770 

Ges. .1 L'Oien Merz 1S-'l 

d lOten Nov. 1SL'l 

alt 41 J. 1 ni. 22t. 



No. 115. 
JOHN PHILIP BECK 

Wohreu gebohren 

den 15 Mai 1768 und 

starb 15 December 

1821. 



No. 128. 

CHRISTIAN SCHERT 

Gebohren 

d llten Dec. 1770 

Gestohben 



No. 137. 

MICHAEL BECK 

WURDER Gebohren 

den 3 April 1805 Starb 

.1. is November 1820. 



w 



The Moravian Settlement. 



JOHANNES BECK 
JOHANN Gebohren den 

3 January 1800 utid 
starb oten December 1S29. 



JACOB TILL 

born March 12 ten 

at Kuhne Walde 

in Moravia 

depart Jan. 22 

1783. 



ROSINA TILL. 
Geb Dec. 3 d. 

1721 
at Schonbrun 

in Silesia 

Starb Jan 21 

17.83. 



ELIZABETH 

KOHRIN 

CASPER KOHRS 

Erefraue 

Geb in Juli 

1708 

verscheid 

Nov. 20 

1763. 



AN ROSINA 

KOHRIN 

born Nov. 27 

1760 

in Beth*) 

verscheid d. • >ct 

1703. 



MARIN MAGDALENA 
STOHRIN 

ist gebohren d. 16ten 

December 1700 
ist gestorben 24ten 

17 or,. 



HIER RUIIET 

JOHAN PHILIP 

BECK 

ist gebohren 

2 d Feb. 1727 und 

Getorben den 

22 Feb. 1702. 



SALOME BECK 

dochter Ton JOHAN PHI 

LIP und CHRISTIANA BECK 

Gebohren November 

4 1802 
Starb April 29 1858. 



HIER RUHET 

ANNA MARIE MEILIN 

Ehegatten von 

CASTER KOHR 

See wurde gebohren 

den 20th Dee. 1745 

und starb 
den 23th Sept. 1828. 



As we finish the laborious undertaking 
and notice that the time is far spent and 
the orb of day lias already kissed the 

slopes of the western hills, we retra ur 

steps back whence we came through Fred- 
ericksburg to Jonestown, meditating the 
while upon this historic section, contrast 
ins out- days with those .it' the early set 
tiers in the Swatara region. The settlers 
left their homes and all their fond a<so 
ciations, crossed the perilous ocean and 
located here in this township of Bethel, 
more than one hundred miles from tic s a 
at the very foot of the mountain, far 
enough, as they thought "from civiliza- 
tion and out of reach of encroachments on 
their personal rights." Ami what "terri- 
ble, overhanging crueltj drove them 
hither? What fear induced them to fly 
from their homes ami face the danger ol 



The Moravian Settlement. 



13 



the Atlantic? What fond hopes inspired 
them with courage to travel into an un- 
known land and risk their freedom and 
their lives with a race of matchless brutes 
and barbarians ?" We may further add. 
was it religious enthusiasm that induced 
these excellent and industrous husband- 
men and artisans, with their families, to 
evangelize the Indian, or do they wish to 
be free and unfettered by thraldom and 
away from war, bloodshed and death? 
Then we imagine that after Henry Dubbs. 
Henry Fischer, Michael Frantz. Abraham 
Grove, Rudy Huntseeker, Wendel Hey!, 
Casper Heister, Jacob Meyle, George 
Miess. the two Schnable, Edmund and 
John. Casper Seherrieh, Ludwig Shuey, 
John Winger, Michael Sausser. Jacob 
Heindsehe, Frantz .Albert and Michael 
Schnatterley and many others, whether 
from the Palatinate or Moravia. Lutheran 
or Reformed, who worshiped at Klopp 
Church or the Moravians of the Bethel. 
had erected their church house, cleared 
their lands and erected their humble and 
insecure cabins, they were to be free and 
happy. And while this serenity of life 
■ Id continue, little did they think that 
their good work was slowly developing in 
the natives a bitter resentment. The red 
men of the woods, the unlettered worship. 
ers of the "Great Spirit." had not had 
their hearts pierced with convictions of 
Christ and his precepts. They could not 
believe that their new neighbors should 
be such generous philanthropists as to 
c,,iiie so far without a pecuniary reward. 
Their lands were being occupied, fish and 
game taken, and their products of the soil 
consumed. The Indian could not know 
what this was for, did not understand 
why various inquiries were made of them 
for the purchase of lands and hunting 



grounds; they became suspicious and soon 
believed them enemies. Yet. with all this 
state of mind and suspicion the relations 
remained unbroken until the breaking out 
of the war between France and England 
for our possessions. And soon the French 
had fanneil the flame of hatred and re- 
venge, and then the pioneer German set- 
tlers, our forefathers, sacrificed their lives 
on the frontiers of the Swatara and Tul- 
pehocken regions. It was not until after 
the Indians on June 8. 175G. did they be- 
lieve they were insecure, when between 
two and four o'clock in the afternoon 
Felix Munch was murdered while plowing 
in the field. In the same month fourteen 
days later, they killed four persons, Franz 
Albert, b. July 20, 1719, at Duex Pouts, 
France, a shoemaker; Jacob Ilautsch. a 
stone mason, and two lads, Frederick 
Weisler and John George Miess. As re- 
corded in the ancient record of the Mora- 
vians at Bethel, they were buried the next 
day, Sunday, which was attended by the 
soldiers stationed at the fort and other 
people, who came to protect them while 
being buried, the ceremony being perform- 
ed by Frederick Schlegels, the pastor, as 
sisted by Brother Samuel Ilerr. We 
could continue on and recite other murders 
and cruelties, but this will suffice. And 
if what I have said will be a stimulus for 
others of the Historical Society to go out 
into the ungarnered fields of history in 
our old Commonwealth, and particularly 
this section, to dig and delve, then it will 
not be long until the manufactured and 
sensational historians of the New England 
States will place the history of Pennsylva- 
nia in the same position that our State 
has in the Union— the Keystone— not only 
in the federal arch, but in all that is good, 
great, and in the advance Hue. 



JUL 12 1909 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



mini mi urn urn ii 



014 313 317 5£ 



